The evolution of sports training devices continues in the direction of ever greater specialization. They are being designed for more different, but very specific, athletic activities and tend to aim at developing skills, and muscular development, particular to a single given area of endeavor. The present invention follows this trend, being a training aid designed to provide soccer players with kicking practice.
In the sport of soccer, kicking a ball well requires a great deal of practice. A complication to this needed practicing of kicking is that when a ball is kicked, it is projected away from the kicker, who must then retrieve the ball to practice a subsequent kick. In the absence of cooperative assistants, this may become a time consuming, tedious and unproductively tiring aspect of the practice.
In soccer there is also the problem of not being able to simply, quickly and accurately quantify kicking ability. Such quantification would allow managers, coaches and players to quickly judge the relative kicking ability of different players, and to evaluate the improvement of a player over time. It would also allow them to assess the effectiveness of different training techniques or regimes.
The relevant prior art involving soccer kick training aids includes:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,909 titled “Soccer kicking training apparatus” filed on Nov. 21, 2006 describes a soccer kicking practice apparatus that is provided with an elongated soccer ball mounting arm comprised of a center shaft in the form of a roller chain positioned inside of a coil spring and a coil spring compression decompression device. An outside end of the elongated soccer ball mounting arm is provided with a soccer ball mounting device. An inside end of the soccer ball mounting arm is provided with a connector that serves to hold the mounting arm at a desired elevation. The center shaft and coil spring create a biasing system that returns the soccer ball to its original position after it has been kicked.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,108 entitled “Soccer kicking training device” filed on Nov. 5, 2002 describes a soccer kicking training device used for placement on a surface and for allowing a soccer ball to be kicked thereof. The soccer ball kicking training device includes a base with stationary base connector and horizontal and vertical members, two ball holder means, a height adjustment means, and a ball. The base is supported by a surface in a horizontal plane with weighted material used to help stabilize the device. The stationary base connector is attached to the base and provides height adjustment. A vertical member and horizontal member slides freely inside the stationary base connector, which provides further height adjustments to the soccer kicking training device. A top and side ball holder by which a ball can be mounted and/or attached, by which a player standing on a surface can kick a stationary ball. The soccer kicking training device has quick setup and is easily transportable to and from the soccer field. The present invention teaches basic soccer principals used in kicking side volleys and front volleys into the goal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,974 entitled “Training device for kicking soccer balls” describes a ball kicking apparatus suitable for (1) practicing kicking a soccer-type ball; (2) training to be a goal keeper to receive a ball; and (3) obtaining aerobic exercise, where a frame has two upstanding members for supporting a soccer-type ball by a first cord to be kicked and a second cord for controlling the path of the kicked ball. A netted bag for holding the soccer-type ball can be used and arms can connect the frame to a wall for positioning and storing on the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,550 entitled “Soccer kick training device” describes a soccer kicking practice device. The device has a movable platform or running surface, such as a motorized treadmill, for forcing the user to run while practicing, and a movable kick target, both the movable platform and movable target mounted on a stationary base. Preferably, the practice device has a hand rail and a body harness for steadying and retaining the user. Elevating apparatus enables the practice device to elevate its front end or its rear end, to simulate uphill and downhill inclination of terrain. Controls enable speed of the treadmill and of the kick target to be adjusted, and the elevating apparatus to operate as desired. Optionally, the treadmill is lined with artificial turf. Automated scoring apparatus is optionally provided for recording and totalizing the number of kicks.
Various implements are known in the art, but fail to address all of the problems solved by the invention described herein. One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail herein below.